Wanting for that which had always been Missing
by Crowing
Summary: AU: In the eyes of the world, Princess Emma was the luckiest girl in the Enchanted Forest. Destined to rule her mother's kingdom one day, she was courted daily by the bravest knights and the highest lords throughout the land... But Princesses ought to be poised, well-mannered and virtuous. Emma was none of those things.
1. Prologue

**AN: Okay so only the first chapter will contain this kind of fluffy fairytale language. Captain Swan because it's really hard to ship Emma with anyone else these days.  
**

**I used to be a fanfic writer for NCIS, but that was a while ago. This is sort of my second coming, new identity, new ships, new fandom. I welcome any dialogue with readers. But unless you log in to post your reviews, I'm not going to respond.**

**Oh, and obviously this is really fucking short because it's a prologue.**

**I've always sucked at titles.  
**

* * *

In a palace that overlooked a lake, high atop the tallest tower, was a room. In this room lived a Princess with golden hair and skin fair and as white as her mother's namesake. In the eyes of the world, Princess Emma was the luckiest girl in the Enchanted Forest. Destined to rule her mother's kingdom one day, she was courted daily by the bravest knights and the highest lords throughout the land.

But for the princess her charmed life and her beautiful room atop the tallest tower were nothing more than an elaborate prison trapping her into a life she did not want and was wholly unsuited to. Princesses ought to be poised, well-mannered and virtuous. Emma was none of those things.


	2. Chapter 1

**In some ways this story is going to be a pain. Because it's set exclusively in an AU with no curse, all the characters are stuck with their pre curse names. Which is unfortunate in the case of Pinocchio especially because that man is too hot for his old name. Anyway, read, enjoy, hope to hear from you.**

* * *

Like her mother before her, Princess Emma's great defining moment in her life occurs after going out for a horse ride. And like her mother, Emma's life went rather rapidly downhill from there.

It was a fair midsummer's day that saw the Princess riding away from the castle as fast as her spritely mare's hooves could make ground. Emma glances back to check for pursuers, but even as she leaves the causeway and hits the main road there is no sign of her father's men. As she eases back into a leisurely canter, Emma adjusts the hood of her cloak. In the parts of the forest closest to the Palace the faces of the royal family were well known by the commonfolk. It would not do for people to know that the Princess was out riding when she was meant to be spending the summer solstice celebrations being courted by a Duke from the westernmost reaches of the enchanted forest.

Ugh, the Duke. Emma grimaces at the thought of the man. In spite of his undisputable good looks and alleged great fortune, the Duke is quite possibly her least favourite suitor yet. And for Emma, who has been courted seemingly by a different man every week since she'd come of age eight years past, that was saying something.

Emma didn't really believe that the true love her parents so obviously (and sickeningly) shared was something she would ever experience. But she is quite certain that she could never marry a man she loathes like the Duke, who'd taken one look at her, turned to her father and declared that she was 'very pretty in the face', and that he was quite certain he'd seen all he needed to see of the Princess, would the Prince consort like to start marriage negotiations that afternoon or after the solstice? Emma hadn't waited to hear her father's reply, she'd tossed her drink into the Duke's face before storming out of the throne room. Emma changed into a set of riding clothes she kept stashed in the back of the stables, and fled the palace.

Now as she joins the traffic that flows daily along the road leading from the palace down to the main port two hour's ride away, Emma feels her temper cooling. She experiences absolutely no regret for her actions insofar as the pig of a Duke is concerned, but Emma did in a small way regret the trouble she is constantly causing her parents. Queen Snow White and Prince Charming were heroes to their kingdom, theirs a tale of tragedy, true love and triumph over evil. To say that Princess Emma was not living up to the hype of being their sole heir was an understatement. Emma could feel herself sinking into a pit of self-loathing and despair, she knew there was really only one cure for that which ailed her. She turni her horse away from the main road and strikes out along a barely discernible animal track through the depths of the forest.

* * *

It only takes Emma a couple of hours to arrive at the saw mill located on the banks of a river that flows into the lake. Emma dismounts and hobbles her horse out of sight of the mill. Flitting from tree to tree on the high ground, Emma watches the two men below her carve and sand in the sun, chatting amiably as they work. Emma waits until the older man disappears back inside the saw mill. She cups her hands around her mouth and makes a couple of cawing noises that are impressively similar to the real thing. Below her the curly headed man looks up and spots her, she smirks and winks, pointing back in the direction where her horse is.

Emma is back in the saddle when Pinocchio appears on his own horse. Emma can't help thinking for a moment that for boy who had once been a wooden puppet, Pinocchio has grown to be a fine looking man. 'So I take it that things with the Duke did not go so well?' he enquires as they ride side by side.

'He's definitely in my bottom five, I think he's a good chance to be crowned the worst suitor ever,' Emma retorts, her face a mask of distaste.

'I'm not surprised that you rejected him, like the thousand other suitors you've disdained. But I must say this one did not last nearly as long as I'd expected,' Pinocchio replies. 'At the tavern last night some of the palace maids were swooning over your Duke, in a way I've really only ever seen them swoon for your father. Usually you're much more sympathetic to a pretty face, that is after all why you always seek out my company, yes?'

Emma rolls her eyes as Pinocchio grins. 'Ugh, well he may have had a nice face, but he took one look at me and turned to my father to ask how much I would cost. I am no man's ornament.'

Pinocchio winces. 'I see.'

'Let's not waste time talking about the pig, okay? I just want to go out and enjoy the solstice celebrations far away from any rooms filled with suitors or my parents. This day is not one that should be wasted on the likes of him.'

'Well said, now I think we need to go and get very drunk.' Pinocchio grins and kicked his horse into a gallop, Emma smiles and gives chase.

The pair has only been riding for all of a few minutes when they come across a dozen black clad riders on the road. Emma and Pinocchio stop, staring at the sight before them. They never see people on this trail, certainly not riders who are dressed in a manner eerily similar to how she's heard the Evil Queen's soldiers used to dress.

'Shit, Em.' Pinocchio mutters, because he definitely does recognise the uniforms, and knows that this could mean nothing good. Without waiting for the soldiers to make a move, the pair kick their horses into a gallop and take off, away from the trail and deep into the forest. Pinocchio only takes the time to glance back once, the soldiers are in hot pursuit.

Emma's horse takes the lead by virtue of being the faster animal. She leads Pinocchio and the soldiers through the forest, trying to get her bearings so that she can make for a town or the Palace, anywhere where they might find loyal subjects willing to help fend off her attackers.

Instead they come upon the river, Emma swears under her breath as she urges her horse to go faster along the river bank, to cross the open ground as quickly as possible. But the inevitable happens and Emma ducks as an arrow flew by her head, there is a shout from behind them before suddenly her horse lets out a shriek.

Time seems to slow as Emma's horse stumbles and begins to fall beneath her. Pinocchio reaches out as he passes her and pulls her across onto the back of his own horse. Emma turns and looks back behind them just as they disappear back into the forest, the soldiers are gaining ground.

Emma grips Pinocchio's jacket, pulling herself up to speak in his ear. 'Your horse cannot outrun them carrying two of us.' She shouts over the pounding of hooves and the panting of both the horse and riders.

'Emma,' Pinocchio replies, he offers no answers or lies about their chances of escape.

'We both know what they want, if they catch you though, you will be killed.' Emma explains, 'I need you to tell my parents, if you don't tell them, who knows how long it will take them to find me.'

'Not long at all, those men are loyal to the Evil Queen.'

'But my parents don't know she has men and reach beyond the tower again.'

'I can't just let them have you, Emma.'

'I can't just let them kill you either, you're the closest thing I have to a brother.' Emma replies as she pushes away from Pinocchio and tumbles to the ground in the way that her father had taught her to fall from a horse.

'No! Emma!' Pinocchio wheels around.

'Go! I'm ordering you to go now!' Emma screams back at him, she can see the soldiers coming.

'I'm sorry, Emma!' Pinocchio cries as he turns and races away from her on his horse.

Emma sweeps back her hood and turns to face her kidnappers, maintaining a furious scowl as they surround her. One of them dismounts and approaches her, removing his helmet as he does so. Emma's anger deepens as she recognises the Duke.

'You.' She spits, wishing she was armed so that she could take a swipe at the man's smug face.

'She told me you'd give me trouble, but this was rather easy.' The Duke declares, it is the last thing Emma sees before his armoured fist hits her jaw.

* * *

Pinocchio bursts into the throne room, he's still breathing heavily from his frantic ride through the forest. The captain of the guards manning the front gate follows. 'Your majesties, I'm sorry but he simply would not wait.' The guard declares, scowling at Pinocchio, who ignores him and hurries towards the dais. Snow White frowns at the sight of the man and glances at her husband, worried. The Prince returnes her concern.

'Emma's been kidnapped.' Pinocchio declares, the entire room seems to freeze, on the throne Snow White lets out a cry. Pinocchio fell to his knees. 'I'm so sorry, she told me to go, to tell you. I should have stayed and fought them.'

The Prince jumps up from his throne and rushes forward, pulling Pinocchio to his feet. 'Who did this? Tell me everything you know.'

'It was the Evil Queen, Regina.' explains Pinocchio.

'No.' Snow White shakes her head as she moves to her husband's side. 'She is trapped in her tower, with no magic or friends beyond its walls.'

'I swear to you, the soldiers, they were dressed as her men.' Pinocchio insists. The Prince lets go of Pinocchio and turns to the captain.

'Assemble your men, we'll leave in an hour.' He orders, the Captain throws a hurried salute and rushes out of the room. The Prince turns to Snow White's closest friend. 'Red, you'll take a dozen riders, Pinocchio will show you where she was taken. See if you can't follow the trail. I can't afford to let it go cold if this isn't Regina's work.'

'Don't bother sending men with me, I'll get more done on my own.' Red replies grimly. 'Come on Pinocchio, let's not tarry.'

David turnes to his wife, 'Just like we always found each other, I'll find her too.' He promises.

'David, we're going to find her together. Have my horse saddled, I'm going to change out of this gown.' Snow announces as she marches out of the room, not for the first time David takes a moment to think about just how amazing his wife really was.


	3. Chapter 2

The first thing she registers is the pain, long before she notices the chill in the air or the fact that she is in a carriage of some sort. Emma groans and makes to touch her throbbing jaw, only to find that her hands are bound with the palms together.

'Evening.' Says the Duke in the same smug tone he'd used before.

'I don't know if I want to kill you myself or watch you hang, but either way I am really going to enjoy it.' Emma mutters as she opens her eyes. The Duke is seated across from her in the carriage, clasping a goblet of wine in his hand as he stares at her laviciously.

'We'll work on your filthy mouth, Princess.' The Duke promises her, sipping at his wine. Emma grimaces and straightens on the seat, noticing as she does that her feet are not bound. Emma doesn't hesitate, raising one boot clad foot, she slams the heel of her boot into the Duke's balls. The Duke lets out a high pitched squeal as he drops the goblet and clutches his damaged goods, cursing violently.

'Now who's got the filthy mouth?' Emma smirks.

'Why you little…' the Duke scowls and leaps at her, but Emma sees him coming and raises both feet to kick him in the stomach, pushing him through the door of the carriage in the process. The carriage comes to a halt, moments later the dishevelled Duke appears back at the door with a dagger in his hand. Before he can make a move one of the riders dismounts and pulls the Duke away.

'Out of my way, huntsman. I'm going to carve her face off.' The Duke snarls, pushing back at the taller man.

'That's not the plan. Mount up, obviously it was a mistake to allow you to ride with her.' The huntsman replies in a soft brogue. The Duke appears to be sizing up the huntsman, before he turns and spits on the ground, limping away. Emma sits back and smirks with satisfaction, the Duke was in for an unpleasant ride.

The huntsman glances at her briefly before he mounts up too, Emma could have sworn that his bright blue eyes were smiling along with her.

Emma watches the scenery outside as the carriage recommences its journey, trying to determine where she is. But it is to no avail, their route is obviously through uninhabited parts of the forest, all she sees are trees. Not that it matters, she is fairly confident that she knows their destination.

Emma has heard plenty of stories about the Evil Queen, growing up. The stories depended on who was telling them, but all of them had two things in common, the Evil Queen was most definitely as evil as her name suggested, and she loathed Snow White more than anything in this world. It didn't take a genius to figure out that nothing her mother's nemesis had planned for her would be pleasant. Emma sighs, to think she'd been bemoaning how dull her life was little more than a day ago. What she wouldn't give to trapped in another meeting of her mother's council.

* * *

The Tower came into view long before they were even close to it. A stark grey building comprised of sharp lines and angles, truly a fitting palace for an Evil Queen. What didn't make sense was the fact that it was actually built by her grandfather, a man described as kindly and affectionate, albeit lacking in basic common sense. Emma tries once again to work her hands free, but only manages to aggravate the rope burn on her wrists.

Emma is pulled out of the carriage by a pair of guards, she spots the Duke leaning against a wall, his legs spread wide and his face a mask of pain. 'How was your ride, your Grace?' she asks with a grin as the guards march her into the tower. The duke snarls but doesn't move from his post.

As they start to climb a long and winding staircase, she spots the one the Duke had called the huntsman, he was smiling faintly. 'Does something amuse you?' she asks.

'I suspect it would amuse you to know that he cried a little as we came into view of the tower.' The huntsman replies, and it did amuse Emma, so much so that she almost forgot where she was. When they leave the staircase for an implausibly long corridor she remembers again. The décor was a mixture of blacks and greys and all Emma can think was that it was just so cliché for the Evil Queen to live in a tower of black and grey, the colours of death and despair.

But it suits her all the same, her whole life had been a story of death and despair, from the moment her mother's schemes lost her father his palace, Regina's life had been a tale of tragedy. It was why, in the end, Snow White had refused to execute her stepmother. Instead she had her lifelong nemesis placed in her tower, trapped there by magic. She was to live out her days, supposedly with only the ghosts of her dead lover and parents for company. Clearly her magical prison had not worked as advertised.

Emma is marched into a large room with a balcony overlooking the forest. She spots a mirror on the wall that does not appear to reflect the contents of the room, for a heartbeat she could have sworn there was a face there instead, before it disappears behind the grey swirling mist.

The guards release her and march out of the room, only the huntsman remains, standing steadfastly next to her. Emma looks around the room and sees no sign of Regina. 'What are we waiting for, exactly?' she asks the huntsman, who gives no reply. He's no longer smiling either, his face had taken on a grim façade. Emma sighs and turns towards the door, wondering how far she'd get before he stopped her.

'Well you're just a chip off the old block, aren't you? Insufferable like your mother, and your father's hair, you truly have their best traits.' Regina remarks distastefully as she flicked the end of Emma's hair, sweeping past the princess with a smirk.

Emma fixes an angry scowl upon her face. The evil queen is everything Emma had expected, regal and commanding, but above all she looks at Emma like nothing would give her greater pleasure than to see the princess die a slow and painful death.

'Regina.' Emma mutters, she could think of a dozen things she'd like to say to the bane of her mother's existence, but thought better of it.

'Now, now, princess. Surely your mother saw fit to teach you some manners. For instance, when you meet your Queen, you must kneel.' Regina waves her hand and Emma's knees buckle, slamming into the flagstones hard, she'll most certainly have bruises in the morning.

'You're no Queen of mine, or anyone else's for that matter.' Emma retorts, glaring up at Regina, who laughs.

'Perhaps I should keep you alive, just so you can see how wrong you are.' Regina ponders. 'Alas, I need your heart and its powers. Such a shame though, I haven't seen Graham smile in years.' Emma briefly wonders who Graham is, until she sees Regina glance at the huntsman next to her. The man is most definitely not smiling anymore.

'My mother spared your life once, she can be persuaded to do so again.' Emma suggests, a last desperate ploy.

'Your mother spared my life twice, two mistakes she'll come to regret dearly.' Regina replies, she sweeps forward with a whisper from her skirts, Emma finds herself being pulled to her feet by the huntsman. Regina gives her one last smile before she plunges her hand into Emma's chest, Emma cries out at the pain. Regina's smile shrinks as she gives a tug at Emma's heart, confused.

'Performance issues?' Emma pants, just before Regina is blown off her feet. Emma rubs at her chest that still aches from Regina's intrusion. She watches Regina climb to her feet, the evil queen looking quite perturbed as she dusts her hands off.

'Damned true love, Rumpelstiltskin wasn't lying.' Regina mutters, Emma didn't recall anyone telling her that the evil queen liked to talk to herself, apparently these many years trapped in her tower had caused an effect after all. 'Graham! Find the princess a cell, I have to paint.'

Emma frowns as the huntsman led her away, of all the times for Regina to indulge in a newfound hobby for art? She wonders if there wasn't something more nefarious to it. The huntsman, Graham, guides her up a set of stairs.

'You are loyal to a woman who will only lead you to your death, free me and receive my parent's pardon.' Emma advises him, he sighs and shakes his head.

'Your Highness, I am not loyal to that woman, I am truly her captive as much as you are.' Somewhere high above Regina's audience room he stops her at a landing occupied by two steel doors with small barred windows. He opens one of them and guides her inside.

'What hold does she have over you?' Emma wondered as he cut her wrists free and shut the door in her face. Emma sighs as the sound of his hobnailed boots clattering back down the stairs filters through to her.

'She holds his heart in the literal sense.' A woman's voice calls out, Emma peers through the bars and sees nothing except the other cell door. After a moment, a pair of hands gripped the bars of the other door. 'He cannot disobey her.'

'Oh, I see.' Emma sighs in dismay as she considered the huntsman's plight. Trapped in the evil queen's thrall, his disobedience would mean his death.

'Who are you? Pardon my impudence, but I have not spoken to someone new in years.' The woman behind the second door asks.

'Emma. Well, Princess Emma, I suppose.'

'You suppose? To my knowledge, either one is or is not a princess.'

'I am a princess, I've just never felt suited to the part.' Emma clarifies, she gave a shrug, which she felt silly for doing because the other woman couldn't even see her doing it. 'It's hardly important right now.'

'It is, because it will tell us how long we have until your rescue comes.'

'My parents' palace is a full day's ride away, I made sure my friend escaped their clutches in order to pass on the word. Even if my friend did not make it, Regina would be their first suspect in my disappearance, she and my mother have a long history.'

'Hopefully they make it in time.' The other woman murmurs.

'What does that mean?'

'I have been a prisoner here since her glory days. When Snow White and her army laid siege to Regina in this tower, she trapped me and a handful of others in paintings. The army released or dismissed anyone they found, but they never knew we were there. We watched from our frames as Snow White came and went, leaving us here in her clutches. If your parents do not hurry, Regina will have time to put you in a painting too.'


	4. Chapter 3

At the head of a winding company of heavily armed knights, Snow White rides alongside her husband. Every fibre of her being wants to gallop for the tower and shoot Regina, something she hadn't fantasised about doing in many years. She looks over at Charming, his face is set into a mask of determination, but she knows her husband, knows he's as worried as she is.

'The spell that Rumpelstiltskin cast to stop her killing us, do you think it includes Emma?' Snow asks him, he reaches over and grasps her fingers for a moment. Snow would have liked to keep the contact, but it's impractical whilst riding.

'Regina better pray that it does.' Charming promises her, his voice dark with unbridled fury.

* * *

Emma falls into a fitful sleep, and dreams of a young boy with dark hair who loves being a prince far more than she ever has. She wakes up to find herself crying and curses, wiping at her face. She can't remember the first time she had the dream, but it's been years and every time she wakes from it she feels like a piece of her is missing. Emma's thought of kids, in the sense that it was her duty to have at least one at some point, but that dream is the only time she's ever wanted one. It's a bone deep longing that she doesn't understand and will never be able to explain to anyone else, so she never tries.

At the sound of a key in the lock Emma jumps up from the cot in the corner, she reaches the door just as Graham opens it, behind him is a brunette woman. 'Emma! Come on, we're escaping.' The woman hisses, and Emma realises that she is face to face with Belle, the second prisoner. Emma looks up at Graham and back towards Belle, perplexed.

'I thought you said he couldn't disobey her. Is this a trap?'

'What does it matter? Either it's a trap and you'll die, which is what you were facing in the first place, or it isn't and we'll be free!' Belle insists, and it's logic too infallible for Emma to argue against so she steps out of the cell and watches as Graham closes the door behind her.

'How _are_ you doing this?' Emma wonders as they pass the Queen's audience chamber.

'She's asleep, I possess my own free will when I'm not subject to a direct order, she failed to forbid me from aiding your escape.' Graham explains as they jog down the stairs silently. Emma can see that he's exchanged his heavy boots for moccasins, something she'd expect a huntsman to wear.

The staircase is devoid of guardsmen, Emma supposes that Regina's forces must be minimal at this time. How she planned to defeat her mother's army is a mystery she'll put thought into later. They stop at the top of the entrance hall, which is being patrolled by three armed and armoured men. Graham unsheathes a knife from his waist, it looks tiny and woeful opposed to the broadswords wielded by the men below. He turns to the two women and motions for them to remain put, but Emma gives a shake of her head and reaches into the lining of her boots, pulling out a pair of tiny throwing knives. They hadn't been of any use during her capture, the way her hands had been bound made it impossible for her to reach them.

Graham raises an eyebrow before he shrugs and turns, jumping off the staircase to land on top of the first guard. The man crumples beneath his weight as the other two guards turn and rush towards him. Emma hurries down the stairs to get a better shot and throws, her first knife skitters off the guard's armour, but before the guard can figure out where the blade had come from, the second knife hits him in the eye.

Emma looked for Graham and saw him standing over the last of the guards holding a bloody sword, she watches as he drops it next to the dead man. 'Come on.' Belle urges, tugging at her arm as the woman runs past her. Emma pauses only to collect her knives, tucking them back into her boots. They push outside and set off at a dead run. The enchantment trapping Regina doesn't just cover the tower, but the gardens surrounding it too, something she'll be sure to complain to her parents about when she sees them again.

They're ten feet away from the shimmer in the air that marks the boundaries of Regina's prison when a furious scream rents the air in two. 'Keep going!' Graham shouts from behind her, Emma can see Belle up ahead, her legs pumping and skirts flying as she flees for the boundary. Once they are past it Regina's magic will not be able to touch them, but they will still have to contend with any guard Regina may have left. And possibly Graham if she once again suborns him to her will.

Belle is inches away from the barrier when she freezes, Emma doesn't have the chance to blink before she too is stopped in her tracks. Graham stops beside them, looking miserable. 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.'

Regina appears from a puff of purple smoke, her eyes alight with something Emma can't quite describe. 'Do you tire of my hospitality already?' Regina asks sweetly. 'Very well, you want to leave, I'll send you far, far away.' Regina turns and summons up a mirror out of thin air. She turns back to the two women and a despondent Graham, with a further wave of her hand, Emma's feet begin to march her towards the mirror. Emma wrestles against the magic that binds her, but to no avail. 'You'll have all eternity to miss my dungeons, where you're going.' Ahead of her Belle is also being walked into the mirror, Emma watches as Belle disappears into the glass, before she follows.

* * *

Regina stands on her balcony watching as the torches marking Snow White and her army draw closer. Her knuckles whiten against the railing as she fantasises about being able to throw a few fireballs at her uppity step daughter and her insipid husband.

'I think it's high time you fulfilled your end of the bargain, Regina.' The duke announces as he appears on the balcony next to her. 'I procured you the princess, now you shall grant me gold I was promised. Or the _real_ Queen will most certainly learn all about the location of her daughter.'

'You dare to threaten me?' Regina asks, amused.

'It's not a threat, rather a warning. So make with the gold, I'd rather avoid your royal guests if possible.' The Duke looks out at the encroaching army. Regina's lip curls in distaste, she waves her hand and with a puff of purple smoke, the duke disappears, replaced by a tiny mouse.

'I'd start running before the cats spot you, your grace.' She warns the tiny duke, who sits there frozen in shock. Regina rolls her eyes and leaves the balcony, taking up residence on the lounge by the fire.

* * *

Snow White halts the army outside the barrier trapping Regina. As her husband deploys men to surround the tower and details the teams that will search inside, the Blue Fairy appears. 'I can shrink the enchantment to trap Regina in one room, so your men can safely search the rest of the castle for as many hours as it takes, but it will require most of my powers, so I will not be able to use my magic to help them look.' She explains to the Queen. Snow looks to her husband.

'We'll tear that place apart brick by brick, if that's what it takes.' Charming resolves. Blue gives a nod and raises her wand. The royal couple watch as the shimmering barrier erected all those years ago begins to shrink, trapping Regina in her audience chamber. Already the soldiers are marching forward, led by the dwarves. Snow dismounts, taking her husband's arm as they approach the tower.

'Snow!' the couple turn and spot Red, followed by Pinocchio on horseback. The werewolf approaches her friend, placing a supportive hand on the Queen's. 'We found the trail easily enough, as Pinocchio said, it led us straight here.'

Charming unsheathes his sword and marches towards the tower, Red and Snow White following him as he bounds up the staircase towards the Queen's audience chamber. On every floor they pass soldiers breaking into rooms, checking every piece of furniture for the Princess. The trio stops outside of the magical barrier, Snow White turns to her friend.

'It's safer if you stay out here, if you could help with the search?' Snow suggests, Red gives a short nod and begins to nose around, quickly picking up on Emma's trail, she follows the scent up the stairs. Snow turns to her husband, and together they cross the barrier and approach Regina.

'My, a personal visit from Snow White and her pretty boy shepherd. Aren't I special?' Regina remarks in a dry tone, sipping at a goblet of wine.

'Save it Regina, where is our daughter?' Charming demands, his rage evident in his tense stance and the way his sword twitches in his hand, as if it possessed a life of its own.

'Your little fairy bubble prevents me from leaving this tower or casting magic beyond its limits, how on earth am I to tell where your precious princess is?' Regina snarls.

'We followed her trail here, Regina. Your denials are pointless.' Snow White insists. 'Please, return her to me.'

'I cannot return her to you. She is not here.' Regina replies with a shrug.

'You'd better enjoy that wine, Regina. Because as soon as I find her I'm going to finish what I should have done years ago.' Snow White twirls around and leaves the audience chamber, Charming cast one last look of loathing in Regina's direction before he followed suit.

* * *

All through the night they search, entering every room and checking every possible place, even the ones that defy common sense. They find no sign of Emma, but something else that no one can quite explain. Snow White looks around her, her eyes moving from the canopy bed with a navy blue comforter stitched with constellations, to the many toys littering the floor. It is undoubtedly a child's bedroom, a boy's, going by the colour scheme and the abundance of toy swords.

Snow White returns to Regina's audience chamber where the older woman is now reading a book, and asks her about the bedroom. Regina gives a shrug, 'Back in my glory days I once held a man's son for several weeks whilst he performed a task for me. I provided the boy with toys to keep him out of my hair.' The answer seems to satisfy Charming, but Snow White walks away unconvinced, Regina's explanation felt too rehearsed, too freely given. That, and the room lacked for dust or cobwebs, unlike many other rooms in the tower. Unless Regina practiced some kind of housekeeping magic, Snow was quite certain that the little boy whose room it was had been using it much more recently than Regina was prepared to admit.


End file.
